First I appologize that I haven't been the best at writing the common generic letter. I have been so so busy with the work and often forget to do a lot of things. I am here to serve the Lord, and by doing so, forget myself in the work.
Yesterday we were planning on having 5 baptisms. We had the interviews done and the program ready and the font filled and everything was just wonderful! We had a little primary program in sacrament and the kids were so beautiful and inspiring and we broke our previous set record of sacrament attendence which was 123, and had 147 people attend! We are really building this branch and I hope that soon it will become a ward, as we don't have enough people to fit inside the room where we have sacrament.
We had Lehema, Debora, Carrol, Rachel, and Julious who were going to be baptized. We have been preparing them for months. They have been so excited too! Then 20 minutes before the Baptismal service started the mother(Lehema) pulled me aside and told me that she can't be baptized... I was so confused and devistated... She said that you was on the Committe of Muslim Re-activation... Obviously this created a huge problem. If the mother isn't baptized then the children can't either... So I called all the family into the branch presidents office and said you can't be baptized unless Lehema is too. and the family started getting so upset with me. In cases dealing with children and Muslim parents you have to confirm with the President of the Mission. Well President Chatfield(our new mission President as of 3 days) personally came to our branch and sat with me, the Branch President and the Family. We talked about all the variables and about the safety of the children and pretty much everthing you could thing of. The mother wanted so bad for her kids to be baptized and said she will do anything to help and she said she will sign any document that is needed and so whatever it takes. She assured us and the President that no harm would come to the Kids for becoming Christians. The kids have never been into a Mask before so that helped out a lot. Originally the Kids wouldn't be baptized until they were 26(for a single female), or 19(for males). But we got the Okay From President Chatfield himself to baptize all of them next Sunday besides the Mom. Debora is the aunt to the family and will be baptized as well, along with another investigator we are teaching named Linet.
Linet is a women we met briefly on the street and gave her a Restoration Pamphlet with our number on it, and she called us that night and demanded that we come and explain this wonderful book! She has progressed so well and is so powerful! The Lord is blessing Ntinda.
I love my mission! I reciently reached 5 months and it made me sad to think that I am losing time! I know that is where I am supposed to be and what I am supposed to be doing and I feel at home with my brothers and sisters here!
The Gospel of Jesus Christ was taught before this world and will be applied for the Eternities. I know that if we live in faith always having the desire to put our Life in God's hands and into the path that Christ himself prepared for us, we will know that we must be repenting every day and changing everyday. There is not a day in a man or a womens life where they don't need to repent.I know that If you put the Lord above all other things, you will start to see his hand in your life. If you aren't seeing the blessing and you aren't noticing him, then you need to change and repent. Never forget why we are here. We are here to prepare to meet God. We must be preparing ourselves for that day that is coming so soon!
I love my mission. I love my family, and all of you. But most importantly I love my Father in Heaven. Always remember that Christ is the ONLY one who can take us to Heaven, so let's work on pleasing him more than anyone else.
Elder Halladay
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